THE BEGINNING HISTORY OF THE GEORGIA STATE COUNCIL
The Georgia State Council began in the year of 1944. These facts were given by Sister Cassie Outlaw and Elder F.R. Robinson. (Both are now deceased.)
While visiting in Chicago around the year of 1943, Elder Robinson attended church with the late Charles H. Ellis, father of Bishop David L. Ellis. During service he gave his testimony and immediately after services a sister came up to him concerning the baptism in Jesus name and talked with him. As they were talking, Elder Ellis came up and the sister left, but the two men continued on the same topic with Elder Ellis sharing scriptures to Elder Robinson. Elder Ellis then invited Elder Robinson to come back that night to preach for them and he accepted. That night when Elder Robinson began his sermon, he remembered what Elder Ellis had told him concerning the baptism … and he stopped and told them he had to go down in Jesus name before he could finish his sermon.
Upon his return home to the church in Brunswick, he did not tell the members there was a change in his life. He then informed them that an Elder from Baltimore, Maryland would come down to have a revival meeting. Elder Revis came and the week of services, he baptized all of the saints that believed and took St. Andrews Holiness Church into the P.A. of W., Inc. in or about the year of 1944.
The next Elder to visit the church was Elder Ellis of Chicago. He came with his wife and their youngest daughter; held a meeting, and baptized the rest of the saints.
Since there was the Florida Council already going on, Elder Robinson went to one in the year 1944, with the idea of Florida and Georgia to hold the council in October, with Bishop Grimes presiding. The brothers in Georgia decided that there were enough saints in Georgia to form a Georgia State Council, and Bishop Grimes agreed. The Georgia State Council P.A.W. Inc. was formed in the home of Sister Dora Honester (better known as the late Sister Candy) in October 1944.
The First Officers:
District Elder Rivers: Chairman – Rome, Georgia
Elder F.R.Robinson: Vice-Chairman – Brunswick, Georgia
Sister Viola Clark: Assistant Secretary – Cairo, Georgia
[For personal reasons, Sister Clark never worked in the office as the secretary.
Sister Cassie Outlaw assumed the position when the first Georgia State Council
met in Rome, Georgia in February 1945 with District Elder Rivers.]
The Georgia State Council – 3oth Episcopal District – Diocesan Bishops
Bishop Nealon Guthrie – Rome, Georgia (1997 – present)
The Late Bishop David Ellis – Detroit, Michigan (1982 – 1996)
The Late Bishop David Braziel – Rome, Georgia (1973 – 1982)
The Late Bishop W.H. Davis – Spartanburg, South Carolina (1967 -1973)
The Late Bishop S.J. Grimes – New York, New York
(Founder/Organizer – 1944 – 1967)